Recurrent Bleeding 4 weeks post resection

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surfboar
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:18 pm

Recurrent Bleeding 4 weeks post resection

Postby surfboar » Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:18 pm

I had approximately 8 inches of my sigmoid colon resected with no stoma...... anamastosis about 2 inches above the rectum. About 1 week after the surgery, I was home and recovering, feeling great, but having fairly heavy bleeding mixed in my stool. I was on the no fiber/low residue diet recommended. I ending up going to the ER because the bleeding was starting to worry me. They did a CAT scan and found nothing indicating a leak or problem with the anamastosis. Since the hemoglobin levels were fine, they sent me home and told me to follow up with my surgeon. The bleeding stopped before I called the surgeon and they told me to just keep an eye on it.

Over the next 2 weeks, I felt better and better each day with no recurrence of the bleeding. I have used stool softener during this time. My follow-up visit with my surgeon went well and he released me to go back to work, light duty. He also wanted me to start adding fiber back into the diet. Stools have been relatively formed and fairly easy to pass. Fast forward to this past Thursday and I started noticing sort of dark red blood mixed in with the stool. No bleeding between stools and no stains on my underwear. Again I called my surgeon and the nurse told me that I should keep watching for light-headedness or lots of bleeding. Now its Saturday night and another semi-bloody bowel movement. Still no pain at all. So I am still concerned because I keep finding horror stories online from anamastotic bleeding.

Is this common? Could I have started fiber too soon and it is irritating the surgery site? I really really really don't want to go to the ER again since I have no pain and no discomfort. Any advice would be appreciated.

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Recurrent Bleeding 4 weeks post resection

Postby Lee » Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:00 pm

Don't really have good advice to offer except maybe keep a diary of the foods you eat and how it might effect you (passing blood). See if adding fiber back to your diet is creating the problem of passing blood.

If that is not the case, I would see the surgeon again, and GET ANSWERS on why this is happening. Not assumptions. If you feel the surgeon is not on your side, get a new surgeon.

All the best, hope you get answers soon.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!


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